Post-Anaesthesia

Today your pet has had a general anaesthetic and is being sent home to continue to recover fully. To assist your pet's recovery we suggest the following:

1. Keep inside and warm. This is just as important in summer as winter as anaesthetic removes the ability to regulate body temperatures. Keeping your pet in the laundry is adequate if it is generally an outdoor animal. If you would prefer we can keep your pet in hospital overnight.

2. Feed a small portion of the usual amount of a canned or moist food, i.e. cooked or canned meat, some omelette etc. Generally dry food is a bit harder for your pet to tolerate after anaesthetic. Please feel free to ask our staff what is suitable.

3. Try to keep your pet as quiet as possible. They should not be running around, playing or jumping onto things.

4. Ensure your pet does not lick or chew at any wounds. If they do, contact us straight away as we will need to place a collar on their head to stop them.

5. Keep our phone number handy and use it if you are at all concerned.

The number is 03 9415 8288
Voip 03 90188911
mobile 0417 654 415
or Animal Accident Emergency at the Main Terminal Essendon Airport 09 9379 0700.

6. It is in your pet's best interests that we check the wound two days after surgery to ensure that healing is progressing well. Please make an appointment.

In most cases, your pet will be fully recovered from the anaesthetic the following day. Please contact us if this is not the case.

If your pet has sutures

A small amount of discharge from the suture line is normal. This can be cleaned away with some saline solution. Skin sutures are not dissolvable and need to be removed in 10-14 days after the operation. Please make an appointment for this, there is no charge.

If your pet has drains

Drains are used to stop fluid or infection building up under the skin. If there are scabs forming around the ends of the drains you can clean them daily with some saline solution. Drains are removed 5 days after they are placed. Please make an appointment for this, there is no charge.